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New Mexico Lobos | |
---|---|
University | University of New Mexico |
Conference | Mountain West |
NCAA | Division I (FBS) |
Athletic director | Eddie Nunez |
Location | Albuquerque, New Mexico |
Varsity teams | 18 (8 men’s and 10 women’s) |
Football stadium | University Stadium |
Basketball arena | The Pit |
Baseball stadium | Santa Ana Star Field |
Softball stadium | Lobo Softball Field |
Soccer stadium | Albuquerque Convention Center Great Friends of UNM Track Stadium/UNM Soccer Complex [1] [2] |
Other venues | Johnson Gymnasium |
Mascot | Lobo Louie and Lobo Lucy |
Nickname | Lobo |
Fight song | Hail, New Mexico |
Colors | Cherry and silver [3] |
Website | www |
Team NCAA championships | |
3 | |
Individual and relay NCAA champions | |
55 [4] |
The New Mexico Lobos are the athletic teams that represent the University of New Mexico, located in Albuquerque. The university participates in the NCAA Division I in the Mountain West Conference (MW) since 1999, after leaving the Western Athletic Conference. The university's athletic program fields teams in 18 varsity sports.
UNM teams have won 3 national championships. The women's cross-country won the NCAA championship in 2015 and 2017 and the Division I Skiing championship in 2004.
The Lobos name began in 1920. A UNM Weekly student newspaper editor, George S. Bryan, came up with the teams' name, the "Lobos", which is the Spanish word for wolf. Previously the University's teams were referred to as the "University Boys" or "Varsities". [5]
In the early years of the university, the school colors were black and gold. Tradition holds that in the 1890s, a faculty member suggested the school adopt colors more representative of New Mexico. Crimson and silver were initially suggested based on, respectively, the crimson evening glow of the Sandia Mountains and the description of the Rio Grande as a "silver ribbon winding through the valley" as seen by students and professors taking picnics in the Sandias. Crimson was later changed to the cherry color which is the color of the Sandia sunset. Cherry and Silver became the official colors in 1897. The school also used turquoise as an official color from 1973 to 1979. [6]
Formed in 1917, [7] the Spirit Marching Band performs at football games during pre-game and at halftime, and accompanies the football team to all bowl games. [8] The band hosts the Zia Marching Band Fiesta, a regional marching band competition. [8]
The University of New Mexico Spirit Program consists of two co-ed cheerleading teams (one large and one small), a dance team and the Lobo Louie and Lobo Lucy mascots. The Spirit Program supports both men’s and women’s NCAA sports. [9] The small co-ed team ranked 7th in the nation at the UCA College Nationals in 2010. [9]
The University mascots are anthropomorphized wolves or "Lobos" named Louie and Lucy, they appear at sporting and social events. [10] Lobo Louie was created in the early 1960s and Lobo Lucy was created in the early 1980s. [11]
For a brief period in the 1920s, a live wolf pup appeared at every football game. Jim Young, a government trapper, caught a wolf in the western part of the state. [12] A child teased the wolf at a game and was bitten, which forced officials of the school to get rid of the wolf. [11]
In 1930, the UNM fight song was created. Dean Lena Clauve, a music education professor, wrote the music. Dr. George St. Clair, an English professor, wrote the lyrics. [13]
Men's sports | Women's sports |
---|---|
Baseball | Basketball |
Basketball | Cross country |
Cross country | Golf |
Football | Soccer |
Golf | Softball |
Tennis | Swimming and diving |
Track and field† | Tennis |
Track and field† | |
Volleyball | |
† – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor |
The University of New Mexico sponsors teams in 8 men's and 10 women's NCAA sanctioned sports, competing in the Mountain West Conference.
The baseball team's head coach is Tod Brown, the pitching coach is Michael Lopez and the assistant coach/recruiting coach is Nate Causey. [14]
The Lobo baseball program began in 1899. [15]
In recent years the Lobo baseball program has seen much success; the team competed in the 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 NCAA Division I Baseball Championship tournament. Prior to 2010, the Lobos had not made an appearance in the tournament since 1962. In 2012 the Lobos captured both the Mountain West Regular Season and Conference Tournament titles. The Lobos have not made a College World Series appearance in its program's history.
UNM's baseball team plays at Santa Ana Star Field on the university's campus. They averaged 1,294 fans for the 2011 season and ranked 43rd in the NCAA per game. [16]
Current Head Coach: Richard Pitino
Assistant Coach: Andy Hill
Assistant Coach: Isaac Chew
Assistant Coach: Eric Brown [14]
The Lobo basketball programs were established in 1899, but began its first competitive teams in 1903 and 1906, respectively. In 1920 a head coach would be hired, Roy W. Johnson. The current head coach is Richard Pitino
Both men's and women's teams play in The Pit, formally known as Dreamstyle Arena, built in 1966. The Pit seats 15,411 spectators and ranks nationally in attendance for both men's and women's programs. Previously the Lobos played in Johnson Gymnasium and Carlisle Gymnasium, which both still exist on the main campus.
The Lobo men's basketball team has appeared in the NCAA tournament 14 times and have reached the second round seven times. UNM's most successful coaches in terms of wins are Dave Bliss, Bob King, Roy Johnson, and Steve Alford.
The Lobo women's basketball team has appeared in the NCAA tournament 8 times. Former head coach Don Flanagan (1999–2011) is the most successful coach in terms of wins.[ citation needed ]
Current Head Coach: Joe Franklin
Assistant Coach: James Butler
Assistant Coach: Dr. Richard Ceronie
Assistant Coach: Laura Bowerman [14]
The women's cross-country team at the University of New Mexico, known as the New Mexico Lobos, won the NCAA championship in 2015. In 2015, head coach Joe Franklin was named NCAA women's coach of the year for the NCAA Mountain Region and the NCAA nationally.
In 2017, UNM won the women's national team title, and Lobo Ednah Kurgat won the individual title. The Lobo women were second place nationally in 2018.
New Mexico women's XC | ||
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National Champions 2017 | National Champions 2015 |
The Lobo football program began in 1892, but compiled its first competitive team in 1894. [17]
The Lobos were previously coached by Mike Locksley from 2009-2011. He was fired in late 2011 after a dismal 2–26 coaching record in 2+1⁄2 years at New Mexico. Locksley took the place of Rocky Long (1998–2008), who was the winningest coach in the school's history. [10]
The Lobo football program has appeared in 12 bowl games since 1939. The Lobos have captured four wins in bowl games, including the 1946 Sun Bowl, the 1961 Aviation Bowl, and the 2007 and 2016 New Mexico Bowl.
UNM usually plays two large rivalry games each year with non-conference opponents, the Arizona Wildcats and the New Mexico State Aggies. [10] The Rivalry with the Aggies is referred to as the "Rio Grande Rivalry", the rivalry first began in 1894. The Lobos have led the series since the 1940s; it stands at 66–31–5 in favor of the Lobos. The Rivalry with the Wildcats is referred to as the "Kit Carson Rifle"; the rivalry began in the early 1920s. The Wildcats of Arizona have led the series. The last meeting with the teams was in 2008. The Lobos defeated the Wildcats 36–28. [18]
Current Head Coach: Glen Millican
Assistant Coach: Gustavo Morantes
Volunteer Coach: Sean Carlon
Dir of player personnel: Wright Zimmerly [14]
The men's golf team has won 24 conference championships: [19]
Many Lobo golfers have gone on to play and win on the PGA Tour including: Tommy Armour III (four wins), Charlie Beljan (one), Brad Bryant (one), Curt Byrum (one), Tom Byrum (one), and Tim Herron (four).
Current Head Coach: Jill Trujillo
Associate Head Coach: Britney Choy [14]
Head Softball Coach: Nicole Dickson
Assistant Coach: Morgan Spearman [14]
The Lobos softball team has appeared in two Women's College World Series in 1980 and 1981. [20]
Current Head Coach: Joe Franklin
Joe Franklin is quoted as saying "We have to keep it fun" [21] Coach Franklin was at Purdue from 1986-1991. This upcoming year will be coach Franklin's fourteenth year as the Track and Field's head coach. [22]
Franklin has led his team to 12 straight women's Mountain West titles. [14]
New Mexico has won 3 NCAA team national championships. [28]
The University of New Mexico is a public research university in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Founded in 1889 by the New Mexico Territorial Legislature, it is the state's second oldest university, a flagship university in the state, and the largest by enrollment, with 22,630 students in 2023.
University Stadium is an outdoor football stadium in the western United States, located on the south campus of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It is the home field of New Mexico Lobos football, which competes as a member of the Mountain West Conference.
The New Mexico Lobos men's basketball team represents the University of New Mexico, competing in the Mountain West Conference (MWC) in NCAA Division I. The university established basketball as a varsity sport in 1899 and began competing with regional colleges after establishing an athletics department in 1920.
Norman Dale Ellenberger was an American football, basketball, and baseball player and coach. He was head coach of the University of New Mexico Lobo basketball team from 1972 to 1979, winning Western Athletic Conference championships in 1974 and 1978 and compiling an overall record of 134–62 (.684). His former players included future National Basketball Association (NBA) defensive stand-out Michael Cooper, who helped lead the 1977–78 team that was ranked as high as No. 5 nationally. Ellenberger was dismissed as Lobo head coach due to a recruiting scandal known as "Lobogate".
The Arizona Wildcats are the athletic teams that represent the University of Arizona, located in Tucson. The Wildcats compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level as a member of the Big 12 Conference. Arizona's chief intercollegiate rival is the Arizona State Sun Devils, and the two universities' athletic departments compete against each other in multiple sports via the State Farm Territorial Cup Series.
The New Mexico Lobos football team is the intercollegiate football team at the University of New Mexico. The Lobos compete as a member of the Mountain West Conference. Their official colors are cherry and silver. The Lobos play their home games at University Stadium.
Craig Duane Neal is an American basketball coach and former professional NBA player. He is the associate head coach for the Nevada Wolf Pack of the Mountain West Conference (MWC). He was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the third round of the 1988 NBA draft and played in the NBA and several minor leagues.
Donald Elliott Flanagan is an American retired basketball coach. From 1995 to 2011, Flanagan was head coach of the University of New Mexico women's basketball team.
The New Mexico State University teams are called the Aggies, a nickname derived from the university's agricultural beginnings. The mascot is known as "Pistol Pete". NMSU's colors are crimson and white. Since 2023 the Aggies have competed in Conference USA in all men's and women's sports. New Mexico State sponsors six men's and ten women's teams in NCAA sanctioned sports. The athletic director is Mario Moccia, who has held the position since January 2015.
Richard William Pitino is an American college basketball coach who is the head coach of the University of New Mexico men's basketball team, From 2013 to 2021, he was head coach of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers men's basketball team.
Bob King was an American college basketball coach and administrator. He was head coach at the University of New Mexico from 1962 to 1972 and at Indiana State University from 1975 to 1978. He also served as Assistant Athletics Director at New Mexico (1972–73) and Athletics Director at Indiana State (1974–80).
The New Mexico Lobos women's basketball team represents the University of New Mexico in the Mountain West Conference in the NCAA Division I. The team is coached by Mike Bradbury.
New Mexico Lobos baseball is a college baseball program of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Lobos have won three conference tournaments, finished first in regular season conference play eight times, and appeared in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship five times. The team plays their home games on the University of New Mexico campus at Santa Ana Star Field. Tod Brown has been the head coach of the Lobos since the 2022 season.
Michael Downs Bradbury is an American college basketball coach who is the current head coach of the New Mexico Lobos women's basketball team.
Greg Brown was an American basketball player and high school coach. He was known for his standout college career at the University of New Mexico, where he was Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Player of the Year in 1994 and won the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award as the nation's best player under six feet tall.
The women's cross-country team at the University of New Mexico, known as the New Mexico Lobos, won the NCAA championship in 2015 and 2017. Also in 2017, Lobo Ednah Kurgat won the individual title with a record-setting time of 19:19.42. The team placed second nationally in 2018.
Raymond Joseph Birmingham Jr. is an American former college baseball coach. He was a baseball coach at the high school, junior college, and four-year college levels from 1978 to 1983 and 1988 to 2021, starting at Mayfield High School in Las Cruces, New Mexico from 1978 to 1983, then the College of the Southwest from 1988 to 1989, New Mexico Junior College from 1990 to 2007, and finally the New Mexico Lobos from 2008 to 2021. Upon retirement in 2021, Birmingham finished as the winningest baseball coach in New Mexico history and the winningest coach in Mountain West Conference history.
The Pit is an indoor arena in Albuquerque, New Mexico, serving primarily as the home venue of the University of New Mexico Lobos basketball teams. The facility opened in 1966 as University Arena but gained the nickname "The Pit" due to its innovative subterranean design, with its playing floor 37 feet (11 m) below street level. The arena is located on the UNM South Campus and has a seating capacity of 15,411 for basketball and up to 13,480 for concerts, with 40 luxury suites and 365 club seats.
Tod Markey Brown is an American baseball coach and former pitcher, currently serving as head baseball coach of the New Mexico Lobos. He played college baseball for Arizona for four seasons, helping the team to the 1992 Pac-10 Conference championship and falling just shy of the 1993 College World Series. He then served as the head coach of the North Dakota State Bison (2008–2021).
The 2022–23 New Mexico State Aggies men's basketball team represented New Mexico State University in the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Aggies were led by first-year head coach Greg Heiar and played their home games at the Pan American Center in Las Cruces, New Mexico as members of the Western Athletic Conference.